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Hooters Air adds three cities

By Chuck Sweeny, Rockford Register Star

ROCKFORD, Ill.  Hooters Air will begin service to three new cities — Las Vegas, Denver and Rockford, Ill. — beginning Jan. 31. (Photos: Hooters in the air)

That comes after the Greater Rockford Airport board voted 4-2 last week to give Hooters Air the nod to begin non-stop flights four days a week beginning Jan. 31. The Rockford flights will operate between Denver and Atlanta, a destination already served by Hooters.

In an airline service switch, Myrtle Beach, S.C.-based Hooters Air will take over the Rockford-to-Las Vegas currently operated by TransMeridian Airlines at that time, said airport Executive Director Bob O'Brien.

The airport agreed to waive fees and offer a $2 million guarantee to protect Hooters Air from losses on the routes. TransMeridian, which was the first airline to offer passenger service in Rockford since such service ceased in June 2001, will continue flights to Orlando/Sanford International Airport with connections to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and seven Caribbean destinations.

Hooters Air President Mark Peterson said in a statement that he is "personally pleased by the support shown tonight" by the board. The airline, with 21 planes, is owned by Hooters of America, the restaurant chain that features scantily clad waitresses and spicy chicken wings.

Fares to the three cities will start at $99, O'Brien said. Service to Atlanta and Denver will be four days a week with twice-a-week service to Las Vegas. Atlanta service will be Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Flights to Denver will be on those days from spring through fall, but winter flights will be Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays to serve winter vacationers.

Las Vegas flights will be on Thursdays and Sundays, same as with TMA.

Hooters will base an airliner and crews in Rockford.

O'Brien hailed the agreement, which he called unusual in light of the difficulties faced by most airlines coping with high fuel costs and security hassles. "My colleagues in the airport industry will be knocked out by the fact we've got this opportunity," O'Brien said.

But the city of Rockford's board members, Mary Gorman and Gwyn Gulley, were not knocked out and voted against the deal. Members representing Machesney Park, Loves Park and Winnebago County voted "yes."

Gorman said she didn't have enough information. She charged that some costs had increased $670,000 from a preliminary plan she received last week, and she said no spread- sheets were provided to outline all possible costs and risks. To break even, the airport has to fill 70% of the seats in the 130-passenger Boeing 737s.

"The risk is unknown," Gorman said, adding that Mayor Doug Scott did not tell her or Gulley how to vote. "I had a long talk with Mayor Scott before the meeting. He certainly supports this service and the concept, as do I."

The mayor "very clearly talked to both Gwyn and I that we needed to do our due diligence and if we were not satisfied that the numbers were here, that our deal with him is we vote our conscience. He told us both he trusts our judgment," Gorman said.

Scott said he backed Gulley's and Gorman's decision "because they didn't feel they had enough information." However, Scott said he believes the pair still support expanded air service "because they voted a month ago to give the airport the authority to go out and make a deal." And Scott reiterated his support for more airline service at RFD.

Airport board Chairman Mike Dunn said he's confident that Hooters will succeed, "but any decision by the airport in this environment is a risk. Our objective is to prove that this airport is worthy of passenger air service. I think this is a risk worth taking."

The Rockford (Ill.) Register Star is owned by Gannett, parent company of USA TODAY.